Vitamin and mineral supplements often provide fortification otherwise not present in regular dietary intake. The supplements may be delivered in a variety of known forms, such as by tablet, capsule, powders, edible food products and so on. Regardless of the number of delivery systems available, there is a continuing need to provide alternative forms of supplements that are appealing, and therefore increase the likelihood of compliance to those in need of ingesting such supplements. Confectionery based supplements are appealing because they provide good tasting delivery systems.
One of the problems associated with preparing acceptable delivery systems for minerals and vitamins, particularly confectionery delivery systems, is obtaining a product with an acceptable taste, stability, and texture. Undesirable organoleptic characteristics, such as pasty, dry, dusty, chalky, bitterness and aftertaste are problematic in delivery minerals and vitamins in an edible matrix, particularly a chewable matrix. For example, a common occurrence in preparing a calcium fortified confectionery is that the product tends to taste chalky or gritty. Additional challenges in preparing good tasting supplements is that the solubility or strong flavor of the vitamins and/or minerals make it difficult to sustain a good taste throughout the eating process.
Further, when fruit flavored chews are made, particularly those with citric acid, the confectionery products may have a strong acidic, sour flavor or aftertaste. Further still, when the fruit chew employs an acid component, the calcium used to fortify the chew may react with the acid component to form a gas thereby impairing undesirable characteristics for the end product confectionery or prematurely react during product manufacture.
Within the area of fortification, the relationship between certain vitamins and minerals and bone mineral content and associated bone loss, formation, and/or restoration continues to generate much interest. Providing a delivery system having an acceptable matrix to deliver vitamins and minerals specific to the area of bond content would be particularly desirable.
As used herein, weight percentages (wt. %) are based on the total weight of said confectionery composition.